<HTML>In a message dated 7/15/02 5:29:00 PM Central Daylight Time, ssclabr8@flash.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I'm a fairly new technician and I feel my own piano (a Yamaha U1) is a little to bright and harsh.  Using a 3-needle voicer with the needles extended 1/16", I sugarcoated the strike points in the treble hammers and boy, what a huge differnece it made.  No more "ping" and a much softer and richer sound.  It only took 5 minutes but the piano now sounds like a new instrument.  So, why use softener when a little sugarcoating seems to do the trick?  Maybe the softener lasts longer. Corte Swearingen </BLOCKQUOTE> Corte The sugar coating you did is a temporary solution to a deeper problem. All you did was soften up the surface. But underneath is more hard felt, waiting to come out when you play. The steaming goes a little deeper, as will the fabric softener, and the deep needling. Wim </HTML>